


Not alone do we stand on the field of battle

by Laylaisthename



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-08 02:29:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10375824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylaisthename/pseuds/Laylaisthename
Summary: A "What if?" my Warden Amell met Cullen after ten years. Also Inquisitor Adaar is there. Really it's mostly the two of them yelling at each other. Just a lil' bit o' romance(?) at the end don't expect too much.





	

"-and both our commander Cullen and warden Blackwall seemed quite nervous around the Warden-Commander." Mother Giselle remarked.

Inquisitor Adaar couldn't blame either of them, really. If what she heard about the Hero was true, then they had every reason to; Commander of the Ferelden Wardens, survivor of Ostagar, Hero of Ferelden and Vanquisher of the Blight. Warden Amell may just be one woman, but having such a figure of power present had all of Skyhold in a whirl. So much so, that Adaar herself hadn't had the chance to talk to the Warden yet.

"Thank you, Mother. I'll be sure to tell the commander that our very own Warden is  _not_  in the stables and that she should absolutely  _not_  go look there for him." Hera said, the chuckle in her voice undeniable.  
The Mother, looking less amused, gave the inquisitor a nod and strolled off through the garden to attend to what-ever Chantry mothers do all day.  
Hera Adaar turned away herself and walked off, only to stop near the door of Andraste's shrine, to listen to a conversation she soon realized she shouldn't be listening to. A feminine voice could be heard quite clearly through the door.

"And after all this you still harbor such unearned distrust towards mages that-"  
"Unearned?" Said a voice that Hera recognized as their own commander Cullen. "You did not see what happened to the Chantry in Kirkwall! You were not there when bloodmages killed all the Templars in Kinloch Hold! Those mages were left unchecked and the results speak for themselves." He said, sounding quite agitated.  
Hera was not entirely sure what was going on at this point but it was clear that whoever was in the room with the commander had no intention of backing down.

"And yet you so conveniently seem to forget that it wasn’t Templars but  _mages_  that cleaned up the mess. Hawke risked his life to stay out of the circle, only safe once he had the money to bribe the Templars to look the other way. And he risked it again when the city fell to the Qunari and again when Meredith -your Knight-Templar- tried to kill all the mages without precedent."

"Meredith was corrupt by the end-"

"Meredith had been corrupt from the start!" The woman cut in.

"-but she wouldn't have gone off like she did if those mages didn't blow up the Chantry. The tension had been at an all-time high and she was resolving it-"

"By turning all mages tranquil."

"-by taking action against those that stepped out of line. Those actions turned... somewhat cruel. And when they did the Templars stood against her." Cullen said.

Hera had heard some of what happened in Kirkwall from Varric and Hawke and even a little bit from Stroud in the short time they've talked. She knew that Cullen was there at the time but did not know that he was so close to the events of it.  Hera noted that she would ask Leliana about it later.

"Which they should have done sooner. What  _you_  should have done sooner. Both the events at Kinloch and in Kirkwall could have been prevented if the Templars weren't sticking their heads so far up their asses. Do you think Uldred wanted to be an abomination? Do you think he intended to condemn the entire tower to be purged through the Right of Annulment?"

"After all that happened calling for the Right of Annulment was their only choice at the time. Demons were crawling all over the Circle. They were not equipped to deal with the demons within."

"And yet, two Wardens, an old woman and a  **dog**  were able to. I was livid when I heard they called for the Right. After all that they did a purge was all they could think of. They never thought to try and save any of the people still stuck in the tower. Instead of protecting us, like they say they always do, they condemned anyone who didn't run through the door fast enough; including apprentices, tranquil, children and other Templars just like  _you_.” There was anger in her voice. Sorrow too. It was oddly reminiscent of Dorian, when he was faced with his father. This was the anger of a person whose healed wounds were torn back open. Words that were never said finally coming out.

The woman continued. “I do not claim to know what exactly happened to the Templars at the top of the Circle but you cannot say the same of the mages before the incident. You treat us as children yet persecute us as adults. We are taken away from our homes and lives to waste away in a tower. We were prisoners who had yet to commit a crime, trapped in a cage, never knowing _if_ it gets better, afraid that it never  will.”

  
“You were right in those fears.” Cullen said, “Before I was admitted to the tower, the older Templars would tell us of the horrific things mages were capable of. In time, I learned that they aimed to make us afraid of the mages, suspicious. Back then I believed every word to be true. The circle being an ominous tower in the middle of the lake didn’t help either. In time the bulk of the fear melt away. This was what I trained for. I started thinking that, maybe, the mages weren’t that bad.”

The Inquisitor was now leaning against the wall next to the door, intently listening to the conversation while trying her best not to be too conspicuous. Which was easier said than done. Several people walked by, simply greeting the inquisitor before going on with their business, but few tried to stay and talk before she quickly dismissed them, quietly telling them to find her later, as she was very busy right now. A passing scout remarked that the inquisitor didn't look so ‘occupied’, but eventually also continued her way. 

“I thought: perhaps they weren’t all the demons the other Templars made them out to be. Uldred seemed adamant to change my mind.

Silence hung in the air between the two before the woman, who Hera now assumed to be a Warden, spoke again in a softer and more solemn tone.  
"Do you remember how I got out of the tower, Cullen?"  
The commander responded. "That Warden recruiter took you away after that blood-mage escaped."

"More or less," she replied, matter-of-fact, "Duncan saved me from being turned tranquil after I tried to help a friend to run away with someone he loved. That day after my Harrowing he came to me; said that they were going to turn him tranquil and that he needed my help to escape."  
"They were going to turn you tranquil?"  
"Him? Without a doubt. Me, on the other hand, not to my knowledge, no. But it’s not hard to think they would. I had just helped a notorious bloodmage escape after all." The snide thick in her voice. "And Jowan was just one of many examples. When I was 12 a boy tried to escape. It was the most courageous thing I'd ever seen. Just jumped into the lake and swam across. He got away for a while but they caught him. They always did. He was the reason we weren't allowed outside anymore. But no one resented him for it. We understood why. After a few attempts he was caught and put into solitary for a year after which he finally did it. He'd gotten out and the Templars never brought him back. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about by now?"

"Anders. The mage from Kirkwall."

"Mhm." The Warden responded. "I ran into Anders again after the Blight, in Amaranthine. Sweet boy, a bit reckless. Made a fine Warden. I was disappointed when he said he wanted to leave to go to Kirkwall, but I didn't stop him. Haven't seen him since."

There was the sound of armor shifting and a soft 'thud' followed by a slightly louder, but similar sequence of sounds.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Cullen asked, sounding genuinely curious. "Kirkwall's Chantry may have still been standing."

"He went looking for a friend. He’d just helped me save Amaranthine and Thedas didn’t need the Wardens anymore. Also, I seem to recall an outside force taking over Kirkwall? I doubt the Qun had any place for Andraste."

"Kirkwall was supposed to be better than Kinloch. My arrival wasn't the warmest of welcomes, but for the first time in  _weeks_  I felt in control of myself again. I could close my eyes without witnessing it all over again. The mages there never talked to me. Maker, they barely even looked my way. I used to think 'that's how it is supposed to be'. The other Templars simply agreed and, well..." his words trailed off.  
"Look, I am-" He cut himself off, and suddenly in a cheerier tone said; "Did you know that the first time I met Hawke I didn't know he was a mage?" Hera could hear a slight *snort*. And before the Warden could answer he continued. "I was so caught up in my witch hunt, _so blinded_ by my stupidity that I didn't even suspect it. Said some stupid things to him. To you too. Things I regret."

“Things like calling me a desire demon?” There was a playfulness in her voice, going along with the commander’s change in demeanor, “Don’t think I’ve forgotten that.”

“Ah, I- oh Maker” Hera could hear him chuckle. “Well, as I said. Stupid things.” The awkward silence changed to something a little more comfortable and immediately into something embarrassing. “I do have to wonder…” Cullen’s voice trailed off.

Now it was the Warden’s turn to laugh. “Perhaps,” the warden said, “In a different lifetime.”

  
Again, there was the sound of metal armor shifting, and soft steps moved away from the door, toward the statue of Andraste.  
"Why did you want to talk here, Amell?"

The Warden responded: "What do you mean?"

"You asked to talk to me here.  _Specifically,_  here. If you wanted to talk to me in private, we could have stayed in my tower or gone to the war room. So, why here?"

Another shift of metal, heavier and slower than the other. Warden Amell spoke.  
"It reminded me of the chapel in the circle."  
"The chapel?"  
"Jowan asked me to follow him there." The sound of footsteps echo slightly through the empty room. "That is where everything started for me. I thought it symbolic. Agreeing to help him that day led me to where I stand now. And here I still stand, for better or worse."

  
"For better or worse." Cullen echoed.

Sensing that it was the time to leave, inquisitor Adaar stepped away from where she stood and set off to the hall. The door to their own little chapel opened and the inquisitor turned around just in time to see the shimmer of Silverite and blue armor move around a corner, the door to the shrine left ajar. And, when after a moment no one followed, continued her way through her hold.

**Author's Note:**

> I've updated the chapter to be less shitty, a little longer and with less typo's.
> 
> _  
> So I know its shitty and I know its short but its also something that's been bouncing around my head for a while. The dynamic between a female Amell and Cullen in a less positive light just seems so much more fitting than a plain 'ol love story in my head. They've both seen some fucked up shit and grown up much quicker than they should have.
> 
> Anyway, thoughts and feedback is always appreciated! It's been years since I sat down and actually wrote something and I think its a shame because I do enjoy writing a lot. So, I hope you've somewhat enjoyed this. 
> 
> See ya.


End file.
